Dirty little Secret
by asianpearl
Summary: A single secret can change the lives of so many people, sometimes its better to lie. RyuuXMeg
1. Mind Numbing Pain

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimer applies.

Chapter 1 : Mind Numbing Pain

The nurses rushed in and out of the emergency room as the wailing sirens of ambulances could be heard over the ruckus of the already-crowded hospital. Hell seemed to have broken loose all over the city. The hospital phone lines were tied up with the numerous amount of emergency calls, ambulance drivers worked overtime to help transport the latest of victims and every available member of the hospital's staff had their hands full tending to the patients which seemed to endlessly pour through the doors, each with injuries worse than the last.

Over the past few hours, an organization calling themselves the Dark Horizon had started a massive riot. No one really knew what their purpose was. They had been almost impossible to control. Within minutes of the riot, nearly half of downtown had been ransacked. Houses were broken into, shops were robbed and entire establishments had been held hostage.

Naturally, the police and armed forces had responded immediately. The insurgencies had been put to a halt momentarily but many feared that the current peace would lead to a larger outbreak of madness. Truly, hell had indeed broken loose.

In one of the hospital's many wards, a group of eight people waited restlessly as they mulled over the current turmoil. However, the usual idea spawning slash brainstorming session had none of the usual inquisitive aura that it was so famous for. Instead, what lurked over the five students and three detectives was a sense of mistrust, dread, anger and anguish.

Dan Morihiko, the legendary private investigator sat rigid and motionless in his wheelchair by the window. The evening sun cast a deep orange glow over the elderly man's aged features. So obviously deep in thought, his face held a deep frown that was extremely uncharacteristic of him.

Katagiri sensei and Nanami were huddled up next to each other on the sofa next to the door. Occasional whispers were exchanged between the pair as Katagiri sensei continued to change the numerous bandages covering her friend's upper body. The injuries were not severe, but the bleeding showed no signs of slowing down. It was all the female teacher could do besides tying him down to a bed and forcing the detective to stay still.

The two beds in the room were occupied by two of class Q's students. On the first one lay the heavily bandaged Kinta. He was partially conscious due to the side-affects of the anesthesia given to him when the doctors removed the bullet which had pierced his gut. He also obtained an injury to his spine due to his involvement in the recent brawl. Kazuma sat quietly on the plastic chair beside him, scared stiff but otherwise unhurt.

Kyuu lay on the other bed, unconscious. He had suffered a concussion to the head and several broken ribs, which, according to the doctors claim, would have killed him had he not reached the hospital on time.

Megumi stood directly beside Kyu's unmoving form. The nervousness and fear that radiated through her could practically be smelled in the air. The pink haired girl continuously fidgeted with her fingers in anxiety and kept looking from the room door to her cell phone every five seconds, as if expecting someone.

Ryuu stood in the corner, looking as pale as death. The carnage he had witnessed today shook him to the bone. Sure, he had seen corpses which looked worse but never before had he seen such brutality among men. He would never forget the look in the eyes of the men and women who had so willingly hurt and damaged others.

He knew, because of his experience in Pluto, that this sort of tragedy that had befallen all of them transcended way beyond things like political, social or even religious issues. This sort of thing concerned the human behavior itself. It had come to a point where a person's judgment had been clouded completely and the line between good and evil, black and white, had been virtually non-existent.

He looked at the pig-tailed girl from where he was standing. She had captured his attention from the moment he had seen her on that ship. Her bubbly nature had been so out of place amidst all the chaos, death and mystery that surrounded them. He constantly wondered what a girl like her would be doing in a place like this. Of course, he would never neglect her amazing talents. He accepted the fact long ago that practically none of the cases that they had been handed could have been solved without her. She was the missing piece of the puzzle that bound the entire team together. An essential part of class Q that made it what it was. And for that, he was grateful.

He had come to care for her as a friend. And seeing her in this state of distress made him itch to do _something_. Half of him wanted to go over to where she was standing and envelope her in a hug. Hold her small, shaking form and convince her that her sister would be alright. But that would seem to personal. He mentally cursed his impulsive self. He had being keeping his interactions with her to a bare minimum since he first started. This was because he knew, if he were to get to close to her, it was likely that he would never let go.

He moved closer to her and took one of her hands in his. Her hand felt cold and clammy in his. The sudden stiffness of her body told him that she registered his presence. She looked up to him and he twitched his lip in half a smile and said,

"Its gonna be okay"

He said this in barely a whisper as he did not want it to carry across the room. He was sure no one had noticed until Katagiri sensei looked up from the arm she had been bandaging at the two of them. A soft smile graced her tired face as her eyes drifted from his face to his hand which still held hers.

Suddenly, there was a soft knocking on the door. A nurse stepped in as soon as Dan-sensei asked her to enter. The nurse, though still in her youth, looked hassled and tired, as if she had not rested in a long time.

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but I was informed that.." she paused to check her clipboard "Minami Megumi, sister to Minami Akane is in this room?"

"Yes, that's me!" she answered instantly. She had an unmistakable look of hope on her face and she suddenly ripped her hand out of Ryuu's and walked towards the nurse.

"Do you have news about my sister?"

The nurse's expression morphed to a look which meant bad news. All eyes were on the newcomer as she said slowly,

"I think we should go outside, Minami-san. There are some things which-"

"It's alright, these people are like my second family to me." Her voice had softened.

The nurse looked unsure of herself. Dan sensei took one long look at Megumi and gave the nurse a nod of approval.

"Your sister was recently involved in an accident. It seemed that the bridge crossing that river had been rigged with explosives. Your sister was caught in the explosion"

"No…" she said weakly

"The police have found no survivors as of yet but the chances of survival are extremely slim as…" the nurse hung her head "… everything was destroyed in the inferno after the explosion

"

Meg's legs gave out under her as she fell to her knees. Mind numbing pain filled her heart as she barely registered the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She could not feel the strong arms that held her tight nor could she hear the voices which continuously called out her name. At that point, she wished for her life to end.

Author's Note :

My first go at a DDS fic. Reviews will be an encouragement for me to keep on writing. No flames please!


	2. Attack!

Chapter 2 : Attack!

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply

The silence had returned. After the nurse had left, Katagiri sensei had led a sobbing Megumi out of the ward. Probably to calm the girl down. Ryuu could imagine the thoughts going through the poor girl's mind right about now. The pain of losing a loved one could kill one from the inside out. She had told him once that her sister was her only living relative left. Her parents had tragically perished in a car accident abroad.

"Dan-sensei," said Kazuma from his place beside Kinta "What do you think caused this?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Kinta "This is a riot. There's probably some power crazed psychopath somewhere who's got some sort of point to prove"

"No…The whole thing was planned. This was no ordinary protest" said Dan-sensei.

"Yeah." Added Nanami "The protest was just a cover-up. It was most likely that their actual target was the Shinabara bridge that just exploded."

"But…how can you say that?" Kinta sounded outraged "Why would someone cause a riot just to bring down a bridge?.. unless…"

"The real target of whoever caused this must've been on the bridge at that time. The riot was probably a diversion to draw police and other authorities away from the scene of the crime. By detonating the bomb just after the riot started, it would make it seem like a random act of violence instead of cold blooded murder" explained Dan-sensei.

"Sensei, how do you know that? What makes you say the bridge was the main target?" asked Kazuma.

"Up till now.. I'm relying more on guesswork and suspicion instead of hard facts but think about this, what were these people going against? Why bother destroying so much public property if you are just going to protest a single matter?"

"That's it!" shouted Kinta suddenly "There are many other bigger and far more crowded places those people could have bombed! So, why bomb only one place? Why Shinabara bridge? This cant be a random attack."

"However, I do not think Dark Horizon itself is responsible for this attack" said Nanami quietly.

Each one of them had their suspicions and doubts, but all of them had the same thing in mind : Pluto.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was already 11pm and Ryuu had volunteered to get some coffee for the rest of the gang. It was not just the caffeine that he so desperately needed. He wanted some time alone to think. Being in that room felt like the spotlight was constantly on him although he knew it was not. Did he feel guilt? Should he tell Dan-sensei what he knew and his association to Pluto? Somehow, he felt as if the old man could read his thoughts and he feared that should he think about Pluto in the presence of the old detective, he would be found out instantly.

Ten minutes ago, Katagiri sensei had walked into the room alone. She said that Megumi needed time alone. Their teacher had said that the girl was taking the death of her sister hard.

As he entered the nearly deserted confectionary area, he immediately noticed the aforesaid girl sitting by herself at one of the tables there. Two mugs were on the table beside her, one empty and one hardly touched. He approached her and placed a had on her shoulder. She jerked in shock at his presence and looked up at him with wide eyes full of fear.

"Oh, its just you." She said, sniffling slightly. "Am I needed back in the room?"

"No, how are you feeling?" he took the seat beside her

When she did not answer him immediately, he took a proper look at her. Her pale cheeks were streaked with dried tears. Her hair was tousled as if she had been trying to rip it out of her head and a few strands of the pink hair hung limply over her face.

"Its hurts," she said quietly "I cant feel anything but pain. I just feel like jumping out of the window and ending my life. And the worst part is…"

The door slid open and one person rushed into the room as if he was being chased. Ryuu had barely enough time to register the click of a gun being loaded before he instinctively pushed Meg to the floor, upturning the plastic table as he went and then using it as a shield.

Shots rang out as the mysterious gunman fired at the blue table. One, two, then three holes punctured the table as the bullets pierced through. His mind was racing. He needed to get them out of here. Fast.

"Ryuu.." said Megumi weakly from under him ".. I knew."

He had no time to ask her what she meant because the gunman had opened fire again. Another bullet pierced the table as a sudden thought struck him. Where were the others? Had they been hurt? They should've been here by now.

"Come here little girl." Said the gunman in a taunting voice. "Come on out so I can finish the job properly"

Ryuu's blood froze. So Meg _was _the target. That meant..

"Your sister was easy enough to finish off, didn't even put up much of a fight when I strangled that lovely little neck of hers" he laughed like a maniac "And all it took was a nice, big, kaboom to destroy the body!"

When he looked at her, He was startled to find a sudden ferocity in her eyes. Those pink orbs he used to find so lovely were now ablaze with an unbridled anger. She got up into a seating position and started to grope around for something. The instant she got hold of a large kitchen knife, he knew what she was thinking.

"No! Meg," he said in an urgent whisper "I know you're angry but you don't have to do anything stupid. He has a gun!"

"He killed her… He killed her and now he's going to kill me. Even if I have to die today, I will avenge my sister and my parents before I allow that to happen!"

_Her parents? Were their deaths planned to? _

Before he had the chance to do anything. A sudden thud caused the both of them to look up. The gunman was slumped, unconscious, on the floor and looming above him, was the dark figure of Anubis.

The blonde man looked up at the two teenagers, with a slight smirk to his lips, he gave a slight bow and said.

"My greetings to you master Ryuu and of course Lady Megumi"

The two teenagers spun to face each other shock on both their faces

"You know him??" they said simultaneously

Author's note : Review's please?


	3. The Great Escape

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply

Chapter 3 : The Great Escape

"You know him?" they said simultaneously.

"Unfortunately, we do not have time to chit chat idly right now," said Anubis while the sounds of gunfire gradually magnified from the hallways beyond.

"Perhaps we can continue this conversation in my car?"

Ryuu did not ignore the fact that he aimed the question at _both_ of them

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" he roared "and neither is Meg!"

"I really think we should listen to him Ryuu"

Had the world just turned upside down? Could he possibly be dreaming? Or did his friend just ask him to follow his arch nemesis?

Ryuu looked away from the both of them. A burning anger developing inside him. Thankfully, the other two were silent now, each waiting his decision. The sounds from the hallway intensified. He knew he had to do something.

_Find Dan-sensei_

But that adult was four hallways away. At this point, he did not even know if the others were alright.

"Wait, what's that sound?" asked Meg.

Ryuu looked back at her. Then he heard it too, a barely audible blipping noise that had just become apparent over all the ruckus outside. It came from the unknown gunman's watch.

_No.. it cant be.._

"Take cover master!" yelled Anubis as he pushed both Ryuu and Meg out of the way.

The explosion that followed blinded his eyes and knocked both of the teenagers off their feet. Ryuu was the first one to recover. The first thing he noticed was the debris falling from the ceiling. Everything looked like it had been turned upside down and it was probably a miracle that he had survived the blast.

"Meg.." he chocked out. The dust was stinging his eyes and he had to hold a sleeve to his mouth to avoid choking.

A small moan came from the corner of the room, under a large cabinet.

As he moved to the room, he noticed the many cuts and scratches that crisscrossed his body. His clothes were also torn in several places. He gritted his teeth and together with Anubis, moved the cabinet off Meg's prone body. He would never forgive himself if she was severely hurt.

This was probably Pluto's doing. Anubis had most likely planned the entire attack and the riot just to lure him back to Pluto. But, if that were the case, what did Meg and her sister have to do with anything? Why was Anubis helping her? Then Ryuu realized the impossible. Was Anubis hurting his friends now?

The man then picked up Meg's unconscious form. He then spoke to Ryuu in a grave voice.

"The situation has just taken a turn for the worse. I'll let you know now that Pluto is not responsible for the riot or this attack," he paused momentarily, as if choosing his next words carefully.

"Whether or not you decide to come with me now, I will be taking your friend with me,"

"What do you think you will gain from Meg? We will come after her just like we did with Dan-sensei. And this time, we'll make sure there'll be no escape helicopters around"

And then Anubis did something Ryuu had never seen before. He frowned. His lips actually turned down in a partial grimace and his brow furrowed. He seemed to be holding back an outburst of anger. Ryuu was not scared of the tall agent. No. He was more concerned for the limp form in its arms.

"Fortunately or unfortunately for you, it is not my choice this time to deal with your adolescent behavior _master_" he said with a sneer. "My orders to fetch her come directly from your grandfather. And I thought you would just be an added bonus. Now, excuse me."

Anubis pushed past the shocked boy and moved into the hallway. What could the leader of Pluto possibly want with a 15 year old teenage girl? His mind filled with impossible scenarios. He knew there was only one way to get answers. Besides, that man would not bring him back unless he was completely willing.

"Wait!" he yelled at the retreating figure. Anubis turned around and pointed a gun straight at him.

One, two, three shots rang out as he crouched and shielded himself with his arms. Only when he heard several bodies fall soundlessly behind him did he realize what the man was actually doing.

"Hurry up," he adjusted Meg so that she hung over his shoulder. For once, Ryuu was thankful that the girl decided to wear pants.

They reached the elevator in no time at all. Maybe it was the because his friend was in the arms of a member of Pluto, it might just be the fact that so many questions that needed answers were swimming in his head or that Anubis might have preformed some kind of mind control trick when he wasn't looking. Whatever it was, this would definitely be the last time he went anywhere near the organization.

As the elevator doors were closing, a figure in a wheelchair came into view. The sudden weight of the entire situation pressed onto him together with the angry gaze of the aged detective.

He pressed one hand to the side of his face. A cold sweat suddenly forming on his forehead. What had he done? He should have called for help the instant Anubis had walked into the room. He should have been a good little detective for god's sake! And here he was, following his enemy!

"Don't be afraid of what the others might think," said Anubis stoically "I do not think your position as a spy is jeopardized in any way. Those goody-goody detectives probably think you are currently under mind comtrol."

He looked at Meg's peaceful face.Its for her, everything I'm doing is to save her. I'll bring her back to DDS when everything is safe He told himself repeatedly.

_I'll bring her back.._

_To Kyuu? _ Said a small voice inside his head.

_What??! _ Where did that come from?

_Are you going to bring her back to DDS so she can run back into the arms of her knight in shining armor? Are you going to stand there and watch her being taken from you __**again **_

He had absolutely no idea where this _thing_ had come from. This deformed, slimy, jealous monster that whispered absurdities in his ear. It was impossible, he did not.. could not…

"Master,"

Ryuu snapped back into reality, pushing the monster aside. The elevator doors opened and they hurried through the underground car park towards a black Mercedes Benz. Suddenly, the headlights turned on and the car shot towards them.

_Of course. _He cursed his on stupidity and shock. _He works with a partner. He always has an escape plan._

Anubis deposited Meg in the back seat and Ryuu slid in through the other door. Ryuu did not recognize the dark-skinned driver. The man was obviously a foreigner. His bald head nearly reached the ceiling and several gold rings adorned his thick fingers. The closest thing he could relate the man to was Agent Cobra Bubbles form Lilo and Stitch.

The car shot through the parking lot with impressive speed. Only when they hit the freeway did Ryuu release the breath that he did not realize he had been holding.

Meg let out a soft moan from beside him. She leaned forward and placed a palm on the bruise that had formed on her forehead. Apparently she had not realized she was in a moving vehicle. _Or did she know?_. Anubis handed him an icepack from the front seat and gave him a slightly bemused look. He was getting the feeling that all of them in the car knew something he did not.

"Hey.. Ryuu.. what are you doing here?" asked Meg groggily

She was awake. And she knew what was going on. Frustration grew inside him. He did not like being left in the dark. Maybe he was still an adolescent as Anubis had said.

He crossed his arms and fixed her with a cold stare.

"You tell me. First, I see you crying your eyes out in the hospital, then you turn out to be some _Lady_ and then you are hauled away by these two members of Pluto in the middle of another –obviously, set up- attack,"

Whoa.. where had that come from? Wasn't he always the calm and collected one?

"_Pluto_?" said Meg with slight panic in her voice. "Anubis-san, Kingsley-san, you never-"

"Only myself and Ryuu are full fledged members of Pluto, Miss Minami" said Anubis. She turned to Ryuu in alarm.

He did not know how much of this he could take. _Anubis-san??_. _What the hell was going on??_

"You're going to be alright," said Kingsley in a deep baritone voice. "Due to sudden inevitable circumstances and coincidental twists of fate, Anubis will be assisting your departure tonight,"

"Do I have to?" she continued in the same small voice he was used to.

"You know as well as I do. It is not safe for you in this country anymore. It is best if, for now, Minami Megumi disappears,"

She remained silent. Then, turning to Ryuu, she gave him a soft smile.

"I didn't know you worked for Pluto.. All this time.. "

"He's our crown prince" said Anubis point blank.

She stared wide-eyed at him for a moment and then turned away.

"That explains a lot" she said softly.

"Well, it does not explain anything for me." he grabbed her hand and forced her to face him. "Who are you?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Go on." said Kingsley from the front seat. "We have at least an hour before we reach the airport"

She took in a deep breath and said

"I have been Minami Megumi ever since I lived in Japan, but before that…"

_**To be continued…**_

I actually think this chapter is better than the previous two. I think it's time for some long overdue explanations. No, Anubis is not dead. Yes, I did make Kyuu unconscious on purpose. This story is going to be a five part series and I'm going to follow up with a sequel which takes place once our heroes are a bit older. BTW, Kingsley Shakclebolt belongs to JK Rowling.

Reviews please!


	4. Secrets, Revelations and Discoveries

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimer applies

Chapter 4 : Secrets, Revelations and Discoveries

She took in a deep breath and said

"I have been Minami Megumi ever since I lived in Japan, but before that, I was known by many names,"

"My family has been on the run as far back as I can remember. We'd settle down in one part of the world for a few years and then we'd have to move as soon as we were found out,"

"Our pursuers are relentless. Somehow we are hunted no matter where we go. That's why we had to keep moving to avoid...something like this from happening,"

"But why are they chasing your family? Who are_ they_ anyway?" asked Ryuu.

"I guess I really do have to start form the beginning don't I?"

He raised one of his eyebrows at her in a gesture which said _isn't that obvious?_ She laughed nervously and started flipping the icepack between her hands. He figured she just needed something to do with them.

"Alright, I'll make this quick. It started a really long time ago with this really old and cranky warlord named Ozai. He started this massive war between these four nations which lasted several hundred years. In the end, he was beaten by this bald monk and the prince, Zuko. To forge new bonds of peace between these four countries, the said prince married the princess of the nation he was previously at war with."

"Sounds like your average fairytale to me. Except for the bald monk part," pointed out Ryuu.

"Heh.. Trust me, It gets even more trippy. According to the story I was told. The prince had inherited some of the crankiness from his father and he gradually started to become insane. His advisors sought the help of a wandering mage to separate the anger form the prince and store it safely away. Somehow, the anger was so powerful, it became a living entity itself. It became more powerful by feeding off the sorrow and hate of the people around it. So, the prince, now emperor, sealed this _demon_ away in a deep dark cave which only he and his immediate family knew of the location,"

"So that means you and your family had something to do with this _demon_?" he ventured a wild guess. It was no surprise at all that he did not buy this magical mumbo jumbo for one minute.

"Well, we believe that the _demon _is actually some sort of weapon, probably biological. Or it could even be the tomb of the emperor's murdered elder cousin who was supposed to be the emperor instead of him," she said, suddenly perking up.

"You've lost me," he said point blank.

"Oh.. well, the point is that my family are direct descendants of that royal family. And every few generations, one of the daughters will be born with photographic memory. It is said that only she holds the location and the key to the cave where the _demon_ is kept, still hidden after all this time,"

He leaned back into the seat. A large part of him still thought the entire scenario to be a bad dream. He half expected the 'Anubis' in front of him to pull off a latex mask and reveal himself to be Nanami. He expected Kinta to jump out of the trunk, slap him on the back and proudly claim this to be a practical joke of his invention. Heck, he _wanted_ Meg to burst out in laughter right now and tell him this was all a test of his sanity. Why must everything in his life be so complicated?

"So you're just gonna sit there and not say a word?" she asked. "If I did not make myself clear, I am the target of practically every major yakuza, mafia, and secret society in the world. All wanting to kill me or use my knowledge for their own diabolical ends!"

Anubis cleared his throat pointedly.

"Of course I did not mean Pluto directly Anubis-san," she spoke to the seat in front of her.

Ryuu scoffed and turned away. She was on good terms with _him?_ The man who had made his life a living hell since god knows when. Who cared if she was some heir of some great secret? What would he want with a girl who had been deceiving him the entire time he had known her? Did he even know her real name?

_No. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch_.

Anubis stared at the two teenagers from the rearview mirror and resisted the urge to laugh out loud. The blue haired boy had turned his head towards the window, facing away from the bubble-gum haired girl. He was determinedly avoiding her. The girl on the other hand was a different story altogether. She was bent on making him listen. They looked like two preteens who had their first official fight. Of course, he understood that the girl must have had very few friends growing up. So did Master Ryuu. A sudden thought suddenly hit the blonde man with the force of a bullet. It was perfect. Too perfect for words.

"Why don't I take over the story telling now?" asked Anubis, suddenly in a good mood. "I'm sure my narration will be more accurate,"

Ryuu shuddered. By accurate, he meant bloody and gruesome. It always was.

"Not long after the imprisonment of the _demon_, many saw the potential of this power and sought to procure it for, as you say, their own diabolical needs. However, others feared the release of the demon would bring about another war, and possibly the end if the world."

He paused for dramatic effect.

"You can imagine the horror and turmoil that went on during those times. The royal family lived in constant fear of being kidnapped and tortured for information. Civil wars broke out. Brother fought against brother, no one could be trusted anymore. Especially when the royal family went into hiding. Rumors have it that they hid somewhere in Iceland. Away from all the chaos. Every one of their guards were sworn to secrecy. They even formed a secret society to protect the whereabouts and safety of the royal family,"

"But on one chilly winter night, they were betrayed."

Ryuu sat up in attention now. Meg was fidgeting again. This time with a golden something that hung from a chain.

"The shocking fact was that they were betrayed by the most unlikeliest of sources. A small, poor pageboy who apparently worked for the emperor himself. The pageboy, being the rat he was, aligned himself with the enemy and told them everything. Legend has it that only the youngest princess survived. By disguising herself as a commoner, she managed to sneak into England with the help of the secret society."

He glanced at the girl beside him. She was quiet now. She was probably thinking of her family. How ironic, the youngest princess. The object in her hands was visible now that they were passing below the streetlights of the interstate. It was an_ ankh_, the ancient Egyptian symbol of life. But this tiny pendant has a snake, no, a cobra wrapped along the length of the symbol.

"It represents the protection of life," she said softly "The life part is pretty obvious I guess. The snake represents the secret society, every watching, ever ready to defend us.. or...me... "

The truth suddenly dawned upon him. They were almost alike but in a sense, complete opposites. Each entrusted with a heavy burden at a young age. Each having to live their lives fleetingly, never getting too close to anyone, never completely believing in things like friendship, trust or love… or at least until recently, he corrected.

However, when he was kept away form others since a young age. She was obviously surrounded by love. He lived with his life regulated by strict schedules and discipline, never knowing any fear in his childhood. He never knew what it felt like to fear for his life, instructed to believe that no life is as valuable his own.

He could tell that Megumi Minami was the type of girl who seized life by the balls, stumbled, paraded and laughed all the way through the short periods of happiness she had. In an odd way, they were just like the bodies they were set to inherit. She cherished the life she had while he… What about him?

_No. _he told himself._ Pluto is ancient history. _

"Where are you going?" he managed to choke out. For some reason his throat felt dry, his heart heavy.

"Unfortunately, no one outside the order, not even your grandfather is privy to that information." said Kingsley out of the blue. Ryuu almost forgot he was in the car.

"How does my grandfather know your secret society?" he asked again.

"A long time ago, the members of our secret societies worked together in an important mission. One that greatly benefited your grandfather," said Anubis

"Maybe you'd care to ask him about the mission for yourself, Ryuu-sama,"

"Never," he said shortly.

"Ryuu, I realize that he's King Hades and all, but shouldn't you at least try and reconcile with him? I mean, he is your grandfather.. But I'm not asking you to join Pluto or anything. Its just that I think, you know-"

"I've made up my mind Meg."

Anubis smirked from the front seat.

"We're here." Announced Kingsley from the front seat.

_**To be continued…**_

Yay! Another chapter completed. Four down and One to go. NONE of the references of characters are mine. Except for the whole 'lady meg' thing.. lolz..


	5. Maybe Its Destiny

Chapter 4 : Maybe Its Destiny

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply

_The detective slammed his foot on the gas pedal as the warehouse came into view. Completely ignoring the 'no-entry' sign, he sped past the guardhouse and skidded to a halt in front of the massive building. He flung the door open and practically raced to the building. The rain pelted his face and stung his partially healed wounds. It was almost impossible to see or hear anything over the howling winds and frequent flashes of lightning. However, he knew his target was inside. This was the final showdown. Her life depended on his getting there on time._

_The warehouse was surprisingly well lit. They were probably expecting him. His frown deepened. They were in for a hell of a surprise if they thought he'd come here on his own. The absence of guards disturbed him as he made his way through the maze of crates. Was Hades making this easier for him? To taunt him? Anger surged through his veins as he quickened his pace. Deep in his heart, he knew, only one of them would make it out of here alive. He'd make sure of that._

_He reached his destination. The scene before him filled him with such a gut clenching hatred that he was surprised that he even possessed such feelings. The tyrant stood behind a hospital bed, the kind which had wheels attached. On it laid Meg, unconscious and pale. She was dressed in what looked like a flowing white gown. The man did not seem to realize or care about the detective's presence as he traced one of his long fingers over her cheek. The detective could not read the look in his eyes. _

"_Mine" said the man in barely a whisper "Forever"_

_Before the detective could even react, he felt a burst of red hot pain searing through his chest. He let out a throaty roar and fell to his knees. Looking up, he found himself looking into the malicious face of Anubis. The smoking gun still at his side, he fingered the Pluto pendant in his other hand. _

"_Wait." said the tyrant in a cold voice. "Let me finish him."_

_Suddenly, he found himself on his feet again, supported by some unknown force. His chest was still hurting. He vaguely wondered if he was dead. The tyrant grabbed a fistful of the detective's hair and pulled his head up to face him. The detective found himself looking into the sharp grey eyes of his once-best-friend. _

"_Leave, now. Stay away form us."_

_For a brief second, he felt he once again saw the innocent eyes of his comrade. They pleaded with him and the detective could almost sense the fear lurking in those silvery depths. _

_Suddenly, he felt a strong fist come into contact with his gut. He was back on the floor again, this time, writhing in pain as he struggled to catch his breath. The whir of a helicopter blades as it prepared for take off reached his ears. The roof of the warehouse had completely vanished. No rain felt from the starlit sky overhead. And though the darkness, he made out the forms of the tyrant and Anubis entering the aircraft. Meg had once again appeared in the tyrant's arms. She was being taken against her will. _

_The string of curses he yelled did not reach his own ears as the chopper raised into the heavens. When it was completely gone, the detective slammed his fist against the cold concrete. _

"_I swear on my father's grave," he said through gritted teeth "That I, Renjou Kyuu, will never forgive you for what you have done. I will hunt you down till the ends of the earth to seek my revenge."_

_He tilted his head to the starlit canopy as he vowed. _

"_This is war, Amakusa Ryuu," _

Kyuu awoke up with a jolt. He could feel the cold sweat beaded on his brow and neck. The dream was so impossible. It was probably one of those absurd dreams that he had heard so much about. The ones where everything was the exact opposite of reality. He afforded himself a nervous laugh. What on earth was he thinking? Ryuu as King Hades? Meg being captured? And surely.. Anubis was dead…

Turning his head around, he realized that he was completely alone. In fact, by the looks of it, he was in one of the DDS's medic wards. Odd. Wasn't he supposed to be at the hospital?

At that exact moment, the double doors to the ward opened, revealing Dan-sensei, Katagiri-sensei and Nanami-sensei. Each of them looked like they hadn't slept in ages.

"Dan-sensei!" said Kyuu "What happened? Where is everyone?"

While Katagiri-sensei wheeled Dan-sensei towards the bed, Nanami proceded to lock the door and check the windows, making sure that no one was eavesdropping.

"They are all fine" he announced in a tired voice. "We transferred yourself and Touyama-san to the DDS building because of unsafe conditions at the hospital."

"Unsafe?"

"Listen to me Kyuu. From this point on, I am going to be truthful and frank in everything I say to you. I do wish that you reply me in kind. Some of the things I have to say to you will no doubt seem false an unbelievable, but I must ask you to reserve any of your judgments until after I have finished what I have to say."

Kyuu looked at all his other teachers, hoping that one of them would elaborate further. Both of them stood somberly, side by side, scrutinizing him as if he was a kid who had been caught by his parents trying to steal money out of their wallets.

Still having no idea what this could be all about, he gulped and said "Yes sir."

"First of all, I'd like you to tell me everything you know about Minami Megumi."

"What?"

"I'd like you to repeat everything she has ever mentioned to you about her childhood, family and origins."

Kyuu was baffled at the sudden question. Had something happened to Meg? Had she been kidnapped? He shivered as the dream flashed in his mind. However, he took a deep breath and recounted everything he knew and loved about the pink haired girl. Everything he noticed about her like her love for chocolate, the way she loved to dress up for every mission, her sister which looked nothing like her, among many other things. Suddenly, it struck him. He did not know much at all about that girl. He had never bothered to ask her things like her where her hometown was or where her parents were. Those things seemed so irrelevant at that time. She had more holes in her background than the moon had craters.

Katagiri-sensei broke the silence.

"Her DDS file states that she was born in a hospital in Osaka. However, when we cross referenced her date of birth with the hospital's data, we found that no baby girls were even born on that day. Furthermore, none of her personal information checks out."

"So you see Kyuu, why we are asking you this" continued Dan-sensei

"But.. why.."

"Nanami," said Dan-sensei.

Nanami-sensei produced a laptop and placed it on the bed so that Kyuu could see the clip that was being played. It looked like footage from a security camera.

"What you see here is the situation inside the hospital about an hour ago. As you can see, the hospital is under attack by an as of yet unknown group. We believe they are responsible for the riot earlier today."

The grainy clip showed the scene at the reception area. Several armed men were holding the hospital staff hostage while others were proceeding, with heavy artillery, to other parts of the hospital.

"What is the situation now? Is everyone alright?"

Nanami sensei looked away, with an ashamed look on his face.

"We were forced to escape from the hospital. Staying would have meant endangering your lives."

"Lets focus on the clip" said Katagiri-sensei in a slight, trembling voice Kyuu had never heard her use before.

The screen now showed the open doors of an elevator. He could see several flashes in the darkened hallway beyond. A fight must've been going on for some time. Suddenly, he saw an unnaturally tall figure enter the screen. It looked like the figure was carrying _someone_ on his shoulder. A second figure entered the screen. Kyuu's eyes widened as he recognized the second figure's brisk, stiff way of walking while alarm bells went off in his mind. The two figures entered the elevator and Kyuu's mouth fell open in shock. It was Anubis, and on his shoulder was an unconscious Meg. The Ryuu in the clip had that same unidentifiable cold look in his eyes.

"No way.. " mumbled Kyuu. He looked straight at Dan-sensei expectantly.

"This is all a joke right? This is all a trick. Just like Kirisaki island. Heh.. right?"

The three teachers had never seemed so imposing in his life. He looked at the empty screen of the laptop. Wishing. _Praying _that he'd wake up form this nightmare.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ryuu let out the breath he'd been holding and stared at his reflection in the dark glass of the airport lounge. He could not believe that it had already been four years. Four years since he started DDS. Four years since he abandoned Pluro. Four years since he met _her_.

His hair, which he had grown out, hung in a ponytail reaching his mid-back except for a few strands which framed his tired face. He still had not changed out of the black collared shirt which he had on from morning. All in all, he looked like he had been to hell and back. Which was not really far from how he was feeling at the moment.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see the source of his confusion smiling softly at him with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand. He envied the fact that Kingsley had brought a small overnight bag for Meg. She had been able to wash up and was now in a clean set of clothes.

When he did have a chance to ask the man about this. He shrugged and answered bluntly that they had done this several times before. He was not particularly chatty when Ryuu had tried to get some information form him. It was obvious that friend or not, that man still did not trust Ryuu.

As she handed him the warm polystyrene cup, her fingers brushed his. She didn't blush like she used to, having been around him for such a long time. He caught the scent of jasmine. Something twisted in his stomach and as she turned away, he didn't regret the fact that he found her smell more inviting than the aroma of coffee.

He took a sip of the dark liquid and proceeded to join her at the seating area. Anubis had vanished earlier on, claiming to have some urgent phone calls to make. Kingsley had purchased two tickets to some unknown destination beforehand. They were now waiting for their flight to be announced. A sudden pang stabbed his heart. He was going to miss her, above all things. He also felt anxious. Would DDS track them here? How much did they know? Would they somehow manage to stop the flight?

"How's the coffee?" she asked from beside him. He was unaware that he had drifted off for so long. She was trying to make conversation.

"Good, you remembered that I like it black."

"Yea.. I suppose I cant actually forget.."

He was never a fan of idle chit chat. But somehow he had an urgent need for her to speak to him in any way possible. He realized that he might never see her again after tonight. And that alone made it enough for him to want to hear her voice, even if it would be his last. But, how exactly do you place four years of emotions, experiences and unsaid thoughts into a single conversation?

"It really isn't going to be Class Q without you" he said

She laughed softly. "You guys will be alright,"

"It wont be the same though. Remember how it was when we first joined? When we were all rivals?"

She nodded. "We wouldn't have gotten to where we are now if it wasn't for Kyuu,"

Her eyes suddenly misted over as if she was trying to reach out for some long ago memory. He felt a tightness in his chest, like someone was clenching his arteries and making it hard for him to breathe. He just had to ask..

"Did you ever… you know… like him?"

She met his eyes for a moment and looked away. Anxiety built up in him as he felt the beast inside him growing restless. She deliberately took her time to answer, carefully forming each sentence. He was not sure he could look at her again if she confirmed his fears.

"I wasn't really sure at first. We were fourteen back then. Everything was just pretend. Looking back now, I can honestly say I was rather flittery when it came to _that,"_

_Flittery?_ Somehow, he was not so sure she was only referring to Kyuu alone.

"But no. I never saw Kyuu as anything more than one of my best friends."

"Oh, I see," he hoped she didn't notice the slightly hitched tone of his voice. It was getting hard to contain himself when the beast inside him was doing its own victory dance.

"But you could have told us…"

He did not need her to continue. He knew what she was talking about.

_What about her? _The beast argued

_Don't you think she 'could have told you' about herself?_

"At the beginning, I did not trust any of you nearly enough with this secret. As time went on, and our hatred for Pluto intensified, I felt like I was fighting a loosing battle with myself. In the end, I decided it would be better if you never knew. Even when I did break all ties with Pluto."

He looked at her. "I'm sure you can understand,"

The coffee was getting cold. But neither of them seemed to notice. She then said softly..

"I was under orders. Never, under any circumstances, was I allowed to reveal my identity. I learned a long time ago that even the slightest of misplaced information can lead to horrible things,"

She was visibly shaking now.

"People have died in the name of my family. My uncles, cousins, all gone for the sake of some stupid hidden treasure!"

Her voice began to break. He could take no more of this. He placed the coffee on the seat beside him and gathered her into his arms. She leaned her head in the crook of his neck and sniffed softly. He rubbed her arms and whispered into her ear.

"Shh.. I'm here.. It'll be ok.."

He had absolutely no idea what had inspired this sudden act of boldness. Wasn't this what friends did? Comfort each other in their times of need? If this was four years ago, Kinta might have hit him on the head for doing such a thing. And then begin tease and josh him profoundly. He knew from experience.

But this was different. They were older now, over the past few months things had gotten pretty serious between Kyuu, Meg and himself. And although he'd hate to admit it, he noticed Kyuu's expression would darken suddenly whenever he would refer to Meg and himself in the same sentence. All of them knew, a confrontation was inevitable.

"I don't want to leave. Not when I just got to know you guys. Life is so unfair," she said, her breath ghosting over the base of his neck.

"Maybe it's just the two of us," he said softly. Sure she'd heard it. "Maybe its destiny,"

She lifted her head and looked at him. Pink met silver. If this was a typical movie, they'd be kissing passionately by now. However, he was slightly irked when she pulled away, her brow furrowed. Having dislodged herself from him completely, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her seat. She looked like she was pondering something.

"This is just too big of a coincidence,"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean.." she said slowly,"…my sister is murdered, leaving me the only heir. Then Anubis magically shows up claiming to want to help me and I am introduced albeit shockingly to Pluto's heir?"

"You don't actually think I have anything to do with this do you?" he said, his hackles rising.

"How should I know? As far as I can tell, your pall over there could be stringing the both of us along,"

He felt slightly relieved she wasn't mad at him but he was not sated just yet.

"Then what the hell was all that _Anubis-san _for?" he sneered

"Its called deceiving the enemy," she snapped. A sudden smirk crossed her features and she leaned forward and said in a low, even, voice

"You know.. I think this is the most eventful non-mystery related conversation we've had since joining DDS,"

_Kami.. this girl changes her mood faster than the weather on a cloudy day_.

And he could not stop his mind from thinking of ways to make this conversation even more _interesting_. Good lord, since when had he become such a lecherous pig? He could not help it. Enough with the fact that her clothes emphasized every one of her natural assets, her voice alone could do things to even the coldest of men.

He had noticed this fact about a year ago when he stumbled on her flirting with a police officer. The poor man was smitten and ended up presenting her with the crime scene photos they needed. Ever since then, he had been wondering what it would feel like if she would flirt so willingly with him.

"We have to leave" came Kingsley's deep voice from behind them.

Indeed, the plane was already boarding.

"Give me five minutes, okay?"

The man only grunted in response and walked away.

"So... this is goodbye," she said, standing in front of him

"I promise I'll e-mail.."

"Don't," he found the words hard to say "If Kazuma can track your location on the net, so can whoever is after you. Its for your own good."

She flung her arms around him and wrapped him in a tight hug. It broke his heart to hear her say things like 'I'm going to miss you so much' and 'Don't you ever forget me' into his shirt. If he could decide on her behalf, he'd hold her tight and never let her go.

It was now or never, if he did not take the plunge now, he never would. And that would be the worst mistake of his life. He cupped her chin and gently made her face him. Her face was tear streaked.

The last thing she remembered was looking into his half-lidded eyes before he brought his lips to hers. The contact sent jolts of pure electricity through her body. He was chaste at first, planting small, brief, butterfly kisses. She wanted more, she wanted to let him feel all the emotions she had kept to herself since the day she met him. She wanted him to know for himself exactly how he made her feel.

His heart leapt when she pushed herself forward and pressed her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her small frame and pulled her closer to him, gradually becoming more daring with his ministrations. He was in heaven. And she was his angel. He'd give anything for time to stop. For them to be whisked away into a world of their own where they could be free of everything. Of Pluto, DDS and all the other calamities of life.

The need for oxygen overpowered them and they pulled away, breathing heavily. He found that his ponytail had come loose and smirked to himself with the knowledge that she wasn't as docile as she looked. Her arms were on his chest and his were perched on her waist. He imagined what a picture they must've made and couldn't be dammed if the entire DDS were staring at them at that very moment.

"Ryuu-kun… I.."

He placed his fingers on her lips and smiled sadly. The time had come. At least they had made things right before that. Explanations and apologies ruined the mood. Besides, he didn't want her to feel sorry for what they had done.

"Go," he whispered. "We'll see each other some day, I promise."

She smiled and nodded enthusiastically,

"I'll come back. And we'll all be together again"

He removed his arms and she backed away form him slowly. He couldn't stop her now. She would not be safe staying here. She was almost at the gates when she turned around and shouted

"Ryuu-kun! Wait!"

She approached him and placed something in his hand.

"Remember me..okay?"

She then turned around and ran through the gates towards Kingsley, never once looking back.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She could never leave him. The plane was speeding down the runway. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she fingered the DDS notebook in her hands. It was for the best. She pulled out a photo that was tucked between the pages of the small leather bound book. It was the five of them together. The clutched the photo to her heart.

_It was for the best_.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kyuu looked out of the window of the DDS building in time to see the tiny flickering lights of a plane in the distance. What he had learned about his two best friends in the past half an hour shook him to the core.

Suddenly, the dream didn't seem so alien at all.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ryuu clutched the tiny necklace as he stared blankly into space. Where would he go form here? What on earth was he going to tell them when he got back to DDS? Would they even believe him?

Would anything ever be the same again?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The tall man smirked from the shadows as he observed the two teenagers break form their embrace. Ryuu-sama really did care deeply for the girl.

His plan would work just _perfectly._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**The end!!**

**Reviews please??**

I really hate to end the story with a cliffhanger but I've had this idea swimming around in my mind for a long time. I'd like to thank several people for their support in this story. First of all, the lovely Mia Frizpatrik for her beautiful Flame of Recca fanfics. Secondly to my reviewers**, Mask Rider Ro**y and **LineLLe18silentDzyre** I dedicate this chapter to you.

asianpearl


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